Gong Li to Join Tim Burton’s New Film

Renowned Chinese actress, Gong Li, is reported to be the female lead in visionary filmmaker Tim Burton’s new biopic, “Ripley, Believe It or Not” about American artist and author Robert L. Ripley.

The director is still negotiating with comedy actor, Jim Carrey, to be the male lead, Robert L. Ripley, the Nanjing Morning Post reported.

If they reached agreement, Gong Li will for the first time cooperate with Carrey, playing his Chinese girlfriend with her real name “Gong Li”.

It is understood Johnny Depp, who has acted in several of Burton’s films, has quit the project.

The bio-pic recounts Ripley’s a legendary life experiences, who was dubbed as modern Marco Polo, and is perhaps best known for his comic strip, “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!”

It also reports the production company Paramount Pictures will budget up to 150 million US dollars for the movie, shooting scenes in the United States, northern Europe and China’s Shanghai. The movie is expected to begin shooting this winter and open in American cinemas in 2009.